Loreto Bay: Sunny in Mexico

We enjoyed a short visit to Loreto in Baja. It is a beautiful area, that Jacques Cousteau once called “the world’s aquarium”. On our way to Coronado Island a few miles off the coast, sure enough we saw hundreds of dolphins enjoying the Sea of Cortes. An incredible sight!

We spent time with friends and folks from Loreto Bay. There has been good progress in construction as the company learns how to manage contractors effectively, and incrementally improve building techniques.

The biggest news for us:they’ve broken ground on our lot! The foundation is poured and rebar in place. We were a little surprised given many lots in the Founder’s Neighborhood are still under construction. But my understanding is LBC hires multiple contracting companies and allocates them across the development. I’ve heard Eiffel is pulling out, not sure why.

The community is really taking shape. The golf course is under renovation finally. Parts of the development, although still under contruction with equipment and dust, are starting to take life as walkable, enjoyable areas – most notably the customer care, and service area along the Paseo.

<p>Clint and Loni;<br /> what advice would you give an east coast – NY couple just starting to look at Loreto Bay as a future vacation home and only now beginning to talk with their sales team and surf the net for information?</p> <p>We're 50 and 48 with both kids in college and looking forward to what do we do &quot;for the rest of our lives&quot; once they are on their own and sustainable without living with us!</p> <p>How've you found your experiences so far with LB and if you knew &quot;then&quot; what you &quot;know now&quot; what would you do different, if anything?</p> <p>thank you,</p> <p>David Tillman<br /> 914 235 4080</p>

david tillman

Clint and Loni;
what advice would you give an east coast – NY couple just starting to look at Loreto Bay as a future vacation home and only now beginning to talk with their sales team and surf the net for information?

We’re 50 and 48 with both kids in college and looking forward to what do we do “for the rest of our lives” once they are on their own and sustainable without living with us!

How’ve you found your experiences so far with LB and if you knew “then” what you “know now” what would you do different, if anything?

thank you,

David Tillman
914 235 4080

david tillman

Clint and Loni;
what advice would you give an east coast – NY couple just starting to look at Loreto Bay as a future vacation home and only now beginning to talk with their sales team and surf the net for information?

We’re 50 and 48 with both kids in college and looking forward to what do we do “for the rest of our lives” once they are on their own and sustainable without living with us!

How’ve you found your experiences so far with LB and if you knew “then” what you “know now” what would you do different, if anything?

thank you,

David Tillman
914 235 4080

Loni Kao Stark

<p>Hi David, </p> <p>I'll try to answer your questions in the two areas: vacation home and Loreto Bay specifically. I'll share what we did, and hope you find it useful in your search.</p> <p>On Vacation Homes:<br /> What we did was wrote down the type of lifestyle we thought we wanted &quot;for the rest of our lives&quot; and what is realistic in terms of what we enjoyed doing and what we aspired to do. </p> <p>Firstly, we knew we weren't the RV type, nor would we want one large primary residence in retirement. We think we want smaller residences mainly along the west coast of north america that we could hop around easily by air/car, each offering a different type of residence (eg. city life, beach resort, cottage etc). Consider travelling times. Utopia in variety! (Clint's already figuring out the different types of espresso machines each place would have). Recommend you write down your own list on this too.</p> <p>Secondly, we wanted places where there was a sense of community and where people cared about the quality of life and the surrounding environment. If retirement is like vacations, we like being social. Also, wanted places that would inspire us to explore and do new things.</p> <p>We've earmarked Vancouver, and Loreto Bay. Love to have a place in Napa too one day!</p> <p>On Loreto Bay:</p> <p>Clint and I took the plunge last Feb 2006. </p> <p>We did a lot of research on the web and I think Clint just posted all the websites we took a look at on this blog. We also met with our sales person and went down to a POP event. At the time, the purchase was more of a leap of faith (aka. &quot;this is exciting, let's do it!&quot; type attitude). </p> <p>Since then, we have been happy we did. We didn't want to live in a condo-type development in Baja(rather do that in a city such as Vancouver, nor a regular floor plan like we have in San Jose). The floor plans and architecture are really unique in Loreto Bay. The estuaries in Agua Viva phases are also exciting to us. However, what has been really special to us is the wonderful homeowners we have met. We like the other people who have invested in this development – seems to attract &quot;kindred spirits&quot;. </p> <p>As for working with Loreto Bay, you have to be patient as construction can take a while, however, everyone we know that has closed on their home has just love it – so I guess it is worth the wait. Other than that there have been changes along the way, but always felt that LB has been accommodating and held their end of the agreement. Don't think we would do anything differently. </p> <p>I hope this is helpful and happy to give you a call or you can email us and we can continue this exchange over email. </p> <p>If you do decided to take the plunge, let us know, happy to welcome new neighbors! Either way, sounds like an exciting time for you and should be fun finding your vacation home!</p> <p>Clint may have &quot;his side of the story&quot; to add too :-).</p> <p>Loni</p>

Loni Kao Stark

Hi David,

I’ll try to answer your questions in the two areas: vacation home and Loreto Bay specifically. I’ll share what we did, and hope you find it useful in your search.

On Vacation Homes:
What we did was wrote down the type of lifestyle we thought we wanted “for the rest of our lives” and what is realistic in terms of what we enjoyed doing and what we aspired to do.

Firstly, we knew we weren’t the RV type, nor would we want one large primary residence in retirement. We think we want smaller residences mainly along the west coast of north america that we could hop around easily by air/car, each offering a different type of residence (eg. city life, beach resort, cottage etc). Consider travelling times. Utopia in variety! (Clint’s already figuring out the different types of espresso machines each place would have). Recommend you write down your own list on this too.

Secondly, we wanted places where there was a sense of community and where people cared about the quality of life and the surrounding environment. If retirement is like vacations, we like being social. Also, wanted places that would inspire us to explore and do new things.

We’ve earmarked Vancouver, and Loreto Bay. Love to have a place in Napa too one day!

On Loreto Bay:

Clint and I took the plunge last Feb 2006.

We did a lot of research on the web and I think Clint just posted all the websites we took a look at on this blog. We also met with our sales person and went down to a POP event. At the time, the purchase was more of a leap of faith (aka. “this is exciting, let’s do it!” type attitude).

Since then, we have been happy we did. We didn’t want to live in a condo-type development in Baja(rather do that in a city such as Vancouver, nor a regular floor plan like we have in San Jose). The floor plans and architecture are really unique in Loreto Bay. The estuaries in Agua Viva phases are also exciting to us. However, what has been really special to us is the wonderful homeowners we have met. We like the other people who have invested in this development – seems to attract “kindred spirits”.

As for working with Loreto Bay, you have to be patient as construction can take a while, however, everyone we know that has closed on their home has just love it – so I guess it is worth the wait. Other than that there have been changes along the way, but always felt that LB has been accommodating and held their end of the agreement. Don’t think we would do anything differently.

I hope this is helpful and happy to give you a call or you can email us and we can continue this exchange over email.

If you do decided to take the plunge, let us know, happy to welcome new neighbors! Either way, sounds like an exciting time for you and should be fun finding your vacation home!

Clint may have “his side of the story” to add too :-).

Loni

Loni Kao Stark

Hi David,

I’ll try to answer your questions in the two areas: vacation home and Loreto Bay specifically. I’ll share what we did, and hope you find it useful in your search.

On Vacation Homes:
What we did was wrote down the type of lifestyle we thought we wanted “for the rest of our lives” and what is realistic in terms of what we enjoyed doing and what we aspired to do.

Firstly, we knew we weren’t the RV type, nor would we want one large primary residence in retirement. We think we want smaller residences mainly along the west coast of north america that we could hop around easily by air/car, each offering a different type of residence (eg. city life, beach resort, cottage etc). Consider travelling times. Utopia in variety! (Clint’s already figuring out the different types of espresso machines each place would have). Recommend you write down your own list on this too.

Secondly, we wanted places where there was a sense of community and where people cared about the quality of life and the surrounding environment. If retirement is like vacations, we like being social. Also, wanted places that would inspire us to explore and do new things.

We’ve earmarked Vancouver, and Loreto Bay. Love to have a place in Napa too one day!

On Loreto Bay:

Clint and I took the plunge last Feb 2006.

We did a lot of research on the web and I think Clint just posted all the websites we took a look at on this blog. We also met with our sales person and went down to a POP event. At the time, the purchase was more of a leap of faith (aka. “this is exciting, let’s do it!” type attitude).

Since then, we have been happy we did. We didn’t want to live in a condo-type development in Baja(rather do that in a city such as Vancouver, nor a regular floor plan like we have in San Jose). The floor plans and architecture are really unique in Loreto Bay. The estuaries in Agua Viva phases are also exciting to us. However, what has been really special to us is the wonderful homeowners we have met. We like the other people who have invested in this development – seems to attract “kindred spirits”.

As for working with Loreto Bay, you have to be patient as construction can take a while, however, everyone we know that has closed on their home has just love it – so I guess it is worth the wait. Other than that there have been changes along the way, but always felt that LB has been accommodating and held their end of the agreement. Don’t think we would do anything differently.

I hope this is helpful and happy to give you a call or you can email us and we can continue this exchange over email.

If you do decided to take the plunge, let us know, happy to welcome new neighbors! Either way, sounds like an exciting time for you and should be fun finding your vacation home!